Kayleigh Smart

Kayleigh Smart, 39, has been involved in public criminal proceedings in the UK related to the death of Liam Collier. She was initially charged with murder following a fatal stabbing incident in Haydock, Merseyside, on May 2, 2025.

Key facts and dates of the legal proceedings include:

• May 2, 2025: Liam Collier, 34, died from multiple stab wounds after an incident inside a flat on Sherlock Avenue, Haydock.
• May 4, 2025: Kayleigh Smart, described as being of no fixed address but believed to be from Billinge, was charged with murder by Merseyside Police.
• May 5, 2025: Smart appeared at Liverpool Magistrates' Court, where she confirmed her name and date of birth. The murder charge, being indictable only, was formally sent to Liverpool Crown Court.
• May 7, 2025: Smart appeared at Liverpool Crown Court via video link from HMP Styal for a plea and trial preparation hearing. A week-long trial was initially scheduled for October 27, 2025.
• October 5, 2025: The trial was delayed, and no new date was set at that time, with Smart due to appear in court again on January 30, 2026.
• January 30, 2026: Smart, on her 40th birthday, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court via video link. She was re-arraigned and pleaded not guilty to murder and an alternative count of manslaughter. A new trial date was set for Monday, June 22, 2026.
• June 4, 2026: At a hearing at Liverpool Crown Court, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) accepted a guilty plea to manslaughter from Kayleigh Smart. The decision to accept the manslaughter plea followed the review of three psychiatric reports, all of which concluded that Smart was suffering from a "recognised medical condition" that "substantially impaired responsibility" at the time of the offense.
• June 23, 2026: News reports confirmed Smart had pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Liam Collier.

As of the latest available information, Kayleigh Smart has pleaded guilty to manslaughter, and the murder trial has been vacated.